Date with Destiny?

Will Destiny’s Child reunite for Super Bowl?

By Joey Guerra |
January 30, 2013
| Updated: January 30, 2013 6:32pm

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If that Destiny's Child reunion does indeed happen Sunday, here are the songs we want to hear:

"No, No, No Part 2"

"Bills, Bills, Bills"

"Say My Name"

"Independent Women"

"Survivor"

"Bootylicious"

"Lose My Breath"

"Nuclear" (new song)

Say what you will about Beyoncé — love, loathe, lip-sync. The Houston superstar has kept tongues wagging for weeks.

Her on/off/probably back on reunion with Destiny's Child during Sunday's Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans is now beginning to seem like a well-oiled plot. Consider the clues.

Set list surfaces that includes a DC3 medley. Beyoncé says nothing. Singer Michelle Williams reportedly denies the reunion on a radio show, claiming she'll be in the musical "Fela!" (co-produced, coincidentally, by Jay-Z). Then, a bombshell. The website for the Sidney Harmand Hall in Washington, D.C., where "Fela!" opened this week, includes this disclaimer: "PLEASE NOTE: Michelle Williams will not be appearing January 31st– February 3rd."

Feb. 3, of course, is the day of the Super Bowl. To quote one of Destiny's Child's many hits, "You'll be saying no, no, no, no, no/When it's really yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah."

Over the course of just six years and four studio albums, the Houston-raised act became one of the most successful girl groups of all time. Beyoncé and a revolving crew of cohorts (including ousted members LaTavia Roberson, LeToya Luckett and Farrah Franklin) sold more than 50 million records worldwide and scored several No. 1 singles, including "Bills, Bills, Bills," "Say My Name" and the Stevie Nicks-sampling "Bootylicious." Members Kelly Rowland and Williams went on to solid solo careers. Beyoncé, of course, has joined the ranks of single-named superstars. A new solo album is expected this year.

The trio's last public performance was at the 2006 Fashion Rocks benefit concert in New York. Final studio album "Destiny Fulfilled" was released in 2004. It's been followed by various compilations, including last week's "Love Songs," which includes '90s-esque new track "Nuclear."

All the DC3 chatter is smartly pulling focus from another bit of Beyoncé news. You know what we're talking about.

She was lip-syncing at the inauguration! She wasn't lip-syncing at the inauguration!

The gossip flooded Facebook, Twitter and news sites faster than Ashlee Simpson's "SNL" hoedown. There were comparisons to Milli Vanilli. Calls to revoke her Grammys. And not a buzz from Queen B herself.

And to all that, we say, leave Beyoncé alone.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Marine Band told various media outlets that Beyoncé did lip sync "The Star Spangled Banner" during the inauguration of President Barack Obama. (Outrage!) Later, a different spokesman said that while the band used a pre-recorded track, "no one in the Marine Band is in a position to assess whether (Beyoncé's vocal) was live or pre-recorded."

The truth is, she probably was lip-syncing. Or at least singing along to a pre-recorded track. And honestly, who cares?

Beyoncé did what felt right in the moment, and she doesn't have to answer to anyone. And if that included ripping out her in-ear monitor for dramatic effect, so be it. She's an entertainer. She was entertaining us. Most people were thrilled, swooning over her vocals and hair and regal confidence.

Huge events — far beyond anything you and I can comprehend — bring unpredictable variables: weather, crowds, live television feeds, nerves. Yes, I realize "American Idol" winner Kelly Clarkson sang "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" live at the same event. She did a beautiful job, and she's wonderful and talented and from Texas, too, y'all. I love her. But she isn't Beyoncé, and that wasn't a moment like this.

Whitney Houston, whose version of "The Star Spangled Banner" remains unparalleled, was lip-syncing at the 1991 Super Bowl. The same goes for Jennifer Hudson in 2009. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma performed to a pre-recorded track during the President Obama's first inauguration.

Are you ready to revolt?

And that's not even to mention the pop stars who make a habit of lip-syncing during tours, including Janet Jackson, Rihanna and Britney Spears, whose entire career is little more than a drag show. Fans overlook it and move on. In the case of Spears, they celebrate it.

Because no one wants to hear her actual singing voice at this point.

Even Madonna uses tracks during shows, notably during last year's Super Bowl halftime medley. Say what you want. Those were not 100-percent live vocals. It's just too big of a risk with that many people watching.

Beyoncé has nothing to prove to us because, quite simply, she can sing. She's always been a forceful live performer, and maturity has given her even more intensity. Few singers can match her mix of showmanship, star power and vocal prowess.

Look no further than her 2011 performance of "Why Don't You Love Me" at Glastonbury. She also charged through a bracing performance of "Run the World (Girls)" that same year at the Billboard Music Awards and "1+1" on "American Idol."

Maybe it's because Beyoncé has managed to build her empire virtually scandal-free. No illicit affairs. No drunken catfights. The best we've been able to come up with were (admittedly ludicrous) charges of a fake baby bump and criticism of her Pepsi endorsement influencing young children.

Sunday's gig is arguably bigger — halftime during the Super Bowl. The rumored set list includes "Crazy in Love," "Bills, Bills, Bills," "Survivor" and "Nuclear."

Maybe she'll lip-sync. Either way, people will be talking. And that's exactly what she wants.